Collapsible measuring scoop



Oct. 22, 1963 D. 1.. PARSONS 3,107,936

' COLLAPSIBLE MEASURING SCOOP Filed may 16, 1962 INVENTOR: 04 L E L. 1 42f 0N5 BY WWW A TTORIVEKS' United This invention relates to a measuring scoop and more particularly involves one which is collapsible and may be inexpensively formed from most any sheet material including plastic sheet material.

One object of this invention is to provide a collapsible scoop that may be used for measuring out a quantity of granular material such as sugar, colfee and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible measuring scoop formed of sheet material and constructed in a manner allowing the scoop to be erected from a relatively flat or planar condition with little or no instruction to a prospective user.

A further object of the invention is to provide a collapsible measuring scoop that may be formed of inexpensive materials allowing it to be freely discarded after but one period of use if desired.

More specifically, another object of this invention is to provide a collapsible measuring scoop formed from sheet material and comprising: a first rectangular bottom portion having first and second parallel edges and an intermediate third edge for articulated attachments; a second rectangular bottom portion having one edge articularly attached to said third edge and having a pair of winged tabs respectively extending from the opposite edges adjacent to said attached edge, each tab defining a recess having an inner edge at a predetermined distance from said third edge; a first side portion articularly attached to said first edge and a second side portion articularly attached to said second edge, said first and second side port-ions each defining a semicircular curve extending from one point of their articular attachment, each of said curves being symmetrically formed and generated by a radius of length substantially equal to said predetermined distance with the radial center located at the junctures of said third edge and said first and second edges, respectively; and means formed on each of said curves for receiving a wing tab of said second rectangular bottom portion and securing the scoop in a rigid assembly.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent in view of the accompanying drawings.

-In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like parts are identified by like reference numerals throughout the same,

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a preferred embodiment of this invention in collapsible measuring scoops;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a cut-out of sheet material used in forming the measuring scoop of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cut-out shown in FIG. 2, folded in a planar condition as it may be packaged or dispensed as with, for example, some granular product;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the measuring scoop shown in FIGS. 13 illustrating its method of erection from the folded planar condition shown in FIG. 3 into the scoop construction of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings and FIGS. 1-4 in particular, there is shown a collapsible measuring scoop that may be formed from a sheet of material such as plastic, paperboard or the like. Assuming a construction like that shown, it is desirable that the material be subject to creasing in order to form the various panel portions as an integral assembly. But it will be realized that the creasing characteristic of any material may be greatly enhanced by the use of appropriate lines of weakness.

atent O 3,107,936 7 Patented Oct. 22, 1963 Scoop 10 essentially comprises a first rectangular bottom portion 11, a second rectangular bottom portion 12 articularly attached along a crease line 13, and a pair of side portions 14 and 15 articularly attached to bottom portion 11 along crease lines 16 and 17, respectively.

The rectangular bottom portion 12 includes a pair of winged tabs 18 and 19 which extend from opposite sides thereof and adjacent to the side defined by crease line 13. Each of the tabs define slotted recesses having an inner edge 20 disposed at the same predetermined distance from the crease line 13.

Side portions 14 and 15 are formed with semicircular curves 14a and 15a extending from one point of their articular attachment on crease lines 16 and 17, respectively, and each of said curves is symmetrically formed, being generated by a radius of a length substantially equal to the predetermined distance between inner edges 20 and crease line 13. The curves 14a and i15a are generated from radial centers 21 and 22 located at the junctures of the crease lines 16, 13 and 17, 13, respectively.

Side portions 14 and 15 are formed with extended lips 14b and 15b, respectively, said lips defining a notched recess 23 extending inwardly to a point which would lie on the imaginary continuation of the curves 14a and 15a.

By forming the rectangular bottom portion 11 with a width dimension along crease line 13 at least as great as the length of radius used in forming the curves 14a and 15a, and by the further use of side portions having curves extending more than 7r/2 radians, a construction is assured permitting the device to be folded in the manner shown in FIG. 3. More simply expressed, it will be evident in view of FIG. 2 that the crease line 13 should exceed the length of crease lines 16 and 17, and the curves 14a and 15a should extend slightly beyond the imaginary continuation of crease line 13. With such a construction there is no binding between the panel sections when they are appropriately folded along their crease lines.

Referring to FIG. 3, it is desirable that the device should be folded as shown and ready for immediate assembly by the mere lifting of portion 12 relative to portion 11 along crease line 13. As shown, wing tabs 13 and 19 are respectively overlapped with the curves of side portions 14 and "15. An initial lifting of portion 12 as shown in FIG. 4 automatically moves the side portions 14 and 15 into a parallel relationship which is maintained by the wing tabs 18 and 19 and the unattached sides of portion 12. Of course, the inner edges 20 will ride upon the curves 14a and 15a until they engage the extended lips 14b and 15b. At this point the side portions 14 and 15 may be slightly buckled, allowing the edges 20 to pass over the forwardmost lip and be received in the notched recess 23.

The collapsible measuring scoop as shown and described may be provided with a suitable handle formed as an extension 24 of the base portion 12 as shown in the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1. Alternatively, a handle 25 might be added to the base portion 1 1 in the manner shown in FIG. 5, this being considered an alternate type construction.

It is to be realized that while particular embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the attached claims, and each of such changes is contemplated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A collapsible measuring scoop formed from sheet material and comprising:

a first rectangular bottom portion having first and second parallel edges and an intermediate third edge for articulated attachments;

s,107,ese

a second rectangular bottom portion having one edge articularly attached to said third edge and having a pair of winged tabs respectively extending from the opposite edges adjacent to said attached edge, each tab defining a recess having an inner edge at a predetermined distance from said third edge;

a first side portion articularly attached to said first edge and a second side portion articulariy attached to said second edge, said first and second side portions each defining a semicircular curve extending from one point of their articular attachment, each of said curves being symmetrically formed and generated by a radius of length substantially equal to said predetermined distance With the radial center located at the junctures of said third edge and said first and second edges, respectively;

and means formed on each of said curves for receiving a Wing tab of said second rectangular bottom portion and securing the scoop in a rigid assembly.

2. The collapsible measuring scoop of claim 1 wherein the semicircular curve of each side portion extends at least 4 1r/2 radians and the third edge of said first rectangular bottom portion is greater than the length of the radius a used in generating said curves. 7

3. The collapsible measuring scoop of claim 1 wherein said first rectangular bottom portion is substantially square, said first and second parallel edges being approxi mately equal to but less than said third edge.

4. The collapsible measuring scoop of claim 1 and further wherein said second rectangular bottom portion in- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 134,238 Gale's Nov. 5, 1942 652,350 Davenport June 26, 1900 2,598,987 Franzen June 3, 1952 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE MEASURING SCOOP FORMED FROM SHEET MATERIAL AND COMPRISING: A FIRST RECTANGULAR BOTTOM PORTION HAVING FIRST AND SECOND PARALLEL EDGES AND AN INTERMEDIATE THIRD EDGE FOR ARTICULATED ATTACHMENTS; A SECOND RECTANGULAR BOTTOM PORTION HAVING ONE EDGE ARTICULARLY ATTACHED TO SAID THIRD EDGE AND HAVING A PAIR OF WINGED TABS RESPECTIVELY EXTENDING FROM THE OPPOSITE EDGES ADJACENT TO SAID ATTACHED EDGE, EACH TAB DEFINING A RECESS HAVING AN INNER EDGE AT A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM SAID THIRD EDGES; A FIRST SIDE PORTION ARTICULARLY ATTACHED TO SAID FIRST EDGE AND A SECOND SIDE PORTION ARTICULARLY ATTACHED TO SAID SECOND EDGE, SAID FIRST AND SECOND SIDE PORTIONS EACH DEFINING A SEMICIRCULAR CURVE EXTENDING FROM ONE POINT OF THEIR ARTICULAR ATTACHMENT, EACH OF SAID CURVES BEING SYMMETRICALLY FORMED AND GENERATED BY A RADIUS OF LENGTH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO SAID PREDETERMINED DISTANCE WITH THE RADIAL CENTER LOCATED AT THE JUNCTURES OF SAID THIRD EDGE AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND EDGES, RESPECTIVELY; AND MEANS FORMED ON EACH OF SAID CURVES FOR RECEIVING A WING TAB OF SAID SECOND RECTANGULAR BOTTOM PORTION AND SECURING THE SCOOP IN A RIGID ASSEMBLY. 